Abstract
Pineapple leaf fibres (PALF) are a waste of cultivation which is not only non-carcinogen but it is also cost-effective renewable sources. PALF has high cellulose content which can enhance the mechanical properties of natural rubber. This study was conducted to investigate the mechanical properties of natural rubber filled with PALF. Four types of samples with different PALF loadings which were 0, 10, 20 and 30 phr were prepared. 20% phr of PALF gave the highest value in tensile strength, tensile modulus, hardness and elongation at break of the rubber compound. The increase in tensile modulus at 100 and 300% elongation indicated that PALF has improved the stiffness of natural rubber composite. The research shows that PALF fibre-filled natural rubber compound can be good replacement for synthetic fillers in the future since they have been environmentally friendly and promote low cost in production.
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